Mike’s Blog Round-Up

"Dr. Smith! I must, in good conscience, repeat my advice against what you speak of doing. To put it in layman's terms, this is not a good idea!" -- Robot, Lost in Space
By driftglass — September 15, 2026

In the beginning -- specifically, on this date in 1965 -- the TV series "Lost in Space" was launched with episode 1, "The Reluctant Stowaway." If all you know about this show are the later seasons with goofy monsters and a simpering Dr. Smith, you owe it to yourself to check out at least a couple of the first season episodes. Because before it became the Dr. Smith, Robot and Will Robinson show, Lost in Space had what were, for the time, some serious SF chops The first season struck a very adult, Cold War tone, focusing on survival, isolation, and psychological strain in deep space. And Dr. Zachary Smith (the aforementioned Reluctant Stowaway) was originally a ruthless, murderous foreign secret agent and saboteur in league with "the Reds". His accidental trapping on the Jupiter II doomed the mission. Those scripts leaned into hard sci-fi concepts, family dynamics, and realistic danger rather than goofy monsters.

Then along came Batman, and the execs saw the massive success that pop-culture camp could yield. And so Dr. Smith was transformed from a cold-blooded killer into a lovable, cowardly buffoon who was forever getting into wacky scrapes with Will Robinson and Robot.

But that first season? That was something to see.

Politicus USA: Mike Johnson Was Asked About Trump’s $5,000 Checks Promise And It Was A Disaster.

The Field Negro: "A promise is a comfort to a fool."

Diane Ravitch's blog: Kennedy Center May Go Bankrupt as Soon as Tomorrow, Says Board. Only Trump Name Can Save It.

Attention space nerds! Europe sets out new space plans.

Round Up by driftglass of the Professional Left Podcast and Science Fiction University

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